The ships carrying Ukrainian wheat and other grains are being held up in Istanbul as they await inspection before they are allowed to leave.
When Russia invaded Ukraine 10 months ago, the number of ships sailing through this narrow strait plummeted. Under diplomatic pressure, Moscow has begun allowing some vessels to pass, but it still restricts most shipments from Ukraine, which once exported a quarter of the world's wheat.
At the few Ukrainian ports that are operational, Russia's missile and drone attacks onUkraine's energy grid frequently cripple the grain terminals where wheat and corn are loaded onto ships.
The effects of Russia's war on the global food crisis have become one of the most far-reaching consequences.
The damage is being reduced by the United States and others. American officials are trying to help Ukrainian farmers get food out of their country through rail and road networks that connect to Eastern Europe.
The crisis is getting worse as the winter sets in. There is a shortage of food in the Horn of Africa and other parts of the world due to a lack of rain.
More than 350 million people are suffering from or at risk of food insufficiency, more than double the number from the previous year, according to the UN World Food Program.
At a summit with African leaders in Washington, the U.S. secretary of state said that they were dealing with a massive food insufficiency crisis. He said that it was the result of many things, including Russia's aggression against Ukraine.
Africa, Asia and the Americas are feeling the effects of the food shortages and high prices. Afghanistan and Yemen have been ravaged by war. Egypt, Lebanon and other countries that import food are having a hard time paying their debts due to the rising costs. The war has left poorer people without enough to eat in wealthy countries.
The administrator of the United States Agency for International Development said that Putin is attacking the world's poor by spiking global hunger.
The events of 90 years ago are being compared to the events of today.
A blanket exception to the U.S. government's economic sanctions will be granted in order to keep food aid flowing. The purpose of the action is to make sure that companies and organizations don't stop giving assistance because of the U.S. sanctions.
It was the most significant change to the U.S. sanctions policy in a long time. A similar resolution was adopted by the UN Security Council.
Russia has disrupted global food supplies.
Moscow has made it harder for its own exports. The world's farmers rely on the sale offertilizer. Russia was the largest exporter offertilizer.
The conflict in Ukraine has had a big impact. From March to November, Ukraine exported an average of 3.5 million metric tons of grains and oilseeds per month, a steep decline from the five million to seven million metric tons per month it exported before the war began.
If it weren't for the Black Sea Grain Initiative, the number would be even lower.
Russia is blocking seven of the 13 ports it uses. Five of the 18 ports in Ukranian are in Russia. Three on the Danube are operational.
The initial deal was only for four months. In October, when Russia threatened to leave, global food prices went up five to six percent.
She said that the effects of the war are huge. Millions of people are being pushed into poverty.
The price of food in the Middle East, North Africa and South America has gone up a lot in the last year.
Sara Menker is the CEO of Gro Intelligence, a platform that tracks food prices.
Food prices had risen to their highest levels in over a decade because of disruptions in the supply chain.
The United States, Brazil and Argentina are major grain producers. The barges that carry American grain to ports were temporarily stopped because of the low level of the Mississippi River.
Some countries have had to reduce their purchases of food on the international market because of the weakened foreign currency.
The war made it worse because there were many structural issues.
According to U.S. officials, the Russian military has destroyed wheat processing plants in Ukraine in order to target grain storage facilities.
The infrastructure that processed and carried wheat and oil to foreign markets has broken down after many farmers went to war in the country.
Forty of the 350 employees at the farm have enlisted in the military. The farm is having a hard time with other shortages. The Dutch co-owner of the plant said that Russia's attacks on the energy grid have caused the plant to shut down.
Natural gas prices went up last year as a result of the war, causing other plants in Europe to shut down. Natural gas is important for the production of urea.
Mr. Huizinga said that this year's harvest had been reduced. Next year's harvest could be worse if Russians continue like this.
He said that transportation costs for farmers have gone up a lot.
Most of the country's wheat and grain was exported through the Black Sea. Mr. Huizinga paid $23 to $24 per ton for the transportation of his goods. The cost has gone up. An alternative route is $85 per ton.
Mr. Huizinga thinks that Moscow is hobbling operations by slowing inspections.
Each vessel leaving one of three Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea has to be inspected by a team of Ukrainian, Russian, Turkish and United Nations employees once it reaches Istanbul.
Ismini Palla is a spokeswoman for the U.N. office overseeing the program.
The rate of inspections has fallen recently. According to Ms. Palla, the United Nations requested more teams.
She hopes that this will change so that the Ukrainian ports can operate at higher capacity. Ukranian exports are important in fighting global food insecurity.
The parties decided in November to extend the agreement, which resulted in a decrease in wheat prices.
According to an index compiled by the UN, food prices have retreated from highs reached this spring. They are still higher than in the past.
One of the biggest costs for farmers is the price offertilizer.
Farmers have increased the price of their products. Farmers are using lessfertilizer. Lower crop yields will cause food prices to go up.
Subsistence farms, which produce almost a third of the world's food, are being hit harder.
The leaders of the Group of 20 nations said at the end of their meeting in Indonesia that they were concerned about the challenges to global food security and pledged to support the international efforts to keep food supply chains functioning.
The director general of the World Trade Organization said at the summit that trade needs to be strengthened.
After the last big food crisis in 2010, the U.S. government started a program called Feed the Future that now covers 20 countries.
More than $11 billion has been given by the US to address the food crisis. A $100 million program called AGRI-Ukraine has helped about 13,000 farmers gain access to financing, technology, transportation, seeds, fertilizer, bags and mobile storage units.
One-fifth of the country's economy is in the agriculture sector and a fifth of the labor force is connected to it.
She said it was important for the economy and survival of the country.
Edward Wong was reporting from Istanbul and Washington.
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